Search

The article reports that Boeing Co. is flight testing the last of the 777s and counting on its new range and cargo advantages to fill out the mid-sized family. It has been a quiet flight test program for the 777-200 Longer Range because the hard work's already been done. This is the second range extension to the basic 777. It will give Boeing the title for the farthest-flying aircraft in commercial service. Launch customer Pakistan International Airlines will inaugurate 777-200LR services early next year on flights from Karachi, Pakistan to Houston, Texas.

The article focuses on the impact of growth in regional air services on the buying preferences of Asian carriers. Boeing vice president Randy Tinseth has acknowledged the growth of low-cost carriers worldwide despite the economic downturn, except in the U.S. It cites the move of mainline Asian carriers to expand their fleet capacity with wide-body twin-engine airplanes because of its improved efficiency and greater range. Also noted is the rapid growth of Asian budget airlines.

The article reports that the production plans for aircraft makers Airbus and Boeing, are largely affected by a steep drop in demand and associated airline cutbacks. Airbus has already adjusted narrow-body output-cutting production to 34 aircraft per month beginning in October 2008, but merely flattened build rates on widebodies. Boeing has already announced job cuts and is expected to increase these as production is reduced.

The article presents information on the change in design of Boeing's 787 aircrafts. Its decision to stretch its 787 aircrafts beyond 300 seats for long-haul operations, will move the mid-sized jet into an even more prominent role as the company's template for future aircraft designs. This twin-aisle sales strategy has been on a roll. Last week, 787 General Manager, Mike Bair said 28 airlines have made orders or commitments for 386 airplanes. Bair says Boeing's sales staff has identified another 30 airlines interested in more than 500 aircraft. The technology that's going into manufacturing and production of the 787 will be the baseline for future Boeing programs. Customers include American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines in the U.S.

The article informs that with a 45-aircraft order from Qantas Airways Ltd. for 787s worth a theoretical $7.6 billion, Boeing Co. has added to an already enviable lead in this year's wide-body sales, sweeping past rival Airbus Industrie SA in every product category. Qantas has been facing a good-news, bad-news situation. Jetstar International is to have an initial route structure requiring 10 aircraft for point-to-point services from Australia into Asian and Pacific markets that are unprofitable for the higher-cost network that Qantas runs.

This article informs that Boeing Co.'s drive toward modularity in the Boeing 787 aircraft has arrived in the cabin with its selection of Thales as the first recommended supplier of an inflight entertainment system in a passenger cabin designed from scratch to be fully wireless. Boeing Vice President Mike Bair, general manager of the 787 program, says the wireless IFE network i-8000 will afford an appreciable savings in installation weight and cost, and cut the time it takes airlines to reconfigure aircraft "from hours to minutes."

The article reports that Boeing Co. expects defense and intelligence markets to remain strong through 2006 as airlines continue a gradual recovery leading to 7% revenue growth and 20% higher earnings per share next year over 2005. Boeing Commercial Airplanes secured 63 gross and 46 net orders during the quarter and held a contractual backlog of $68.7 billion, compared with $70.4 billion at the end of 2004. More than 250 order commitments were gained in the period. Interest in the 737, 777 and 787 will push the backlog up.

The article informs that Boeing Commercial Airplanes Co. has, at the turn of the century, immersed itself in the Internet to accelerate delivery of spare parts and distribute service bulletins. The millennium's dawn was topsy-turvy for airlines. Asian carriers were emerging from a prolonged slump. European governments were losing their appetite for propping up money-losing carriers against low-cost competitors. Most American carriers were still in denial about the need to reduce operating costs drastically. But worldwide shocks of terrorism, war, health crises and high-cost fuel caught everyone's attention.

This article presents information related to sale of Boeing airplanes to Japan Airlines (JAL) and Continental Airlines Inc. Boeing Co. recorded an end-of-the-year bonus when Continental Airlines became the first U.S. network carrier to order the 7E7, buying 10 of the mid-sized jets with a book value of $ 1.3 billion. Announced last week, the decision to buy came on top of a commitment for 30 aircraft by JAL made two weeks ago. Taken together, the two commitments are a double blessing for Boeing. Both carriers are among the airline establishment and both are advocating the long-term value proposition of the 7E7 as the revolutionary long-haul, cost-saving aircraft that Boeing is espousing in its marketing.

The article reports on Boeing Co.'s Current Market Outlook (CMO), which offers the aviation industry's broadest 20-year forecast of demand in Asia-Pacific region. In its 2011 report, Boeing has predicted that the Asia-Pacific region will account for 11,450 of the 33,500 new aircraft the world's airlines will need through 2030. This implies 80% of Asia-Pacific orders will be for fleet expansion and only 20% for replacement.

The article explores the Chinese aviation market and efforts by aircraft manufacturers Boeing and Airbus to develop relationships with aviation professionals and members of the industry in China. Topics discussed include state management of economic development, economic competition among foreign companies in China, and demand for passenger aircraft.

The article reports that the company Kenya Airways has given Boeing Co. its first order of 2006 for the 787, purchasing six to replace its 767 fleet beginning in 2010. Kenya Airways has recently signed an agreement with Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprises for three 737-800s. Low-Cost Aircraft Leasing has added a seventh 787 to the $780-million order it placed last May for six of the 250-seat twin-aisle jets. It is informed that Boeing is celebrating delivery of the 100th 737-800NG to Ryanair, Europe's largest low-cost carrier.

This article focuses on Boeing Co. which has developed a suite of software tools to unify airline maintenance activities from start to finish, much as text, data and graphics suites are integrated for "front office" business operations. Called the Maintenance Performance Toolbox, the suite was developed by Boeing Commercial Aviation Services. It was developed to increase airline maintenance, repair and overhaul productivity and performance by giving maintenance managers and technicians 24-hour access to the repair history of individual aircraft.

This article focuses on how Boeing Co.'s book of firm orders for new commercial aircraft continues to build. One of Central Europe's new discount carriers plans to acquire 737s, and last week Boeing signed firm orders with Japan Airlines for 30 787s and 30 73-800s committed to in December 2004. GE Commercial Aviation Services ordered six 737-700s on behalf of Sky Europe, which previously ordered six-700s. Based in Bratislavia, Slovakia, low-fare Sky Europe will begin receiving the Gecas aircraft next year. It already flies 737-500s. Additionally, Sky Europe has a pending order for four 737-700s and options on 16 more, but that is not expected to close until midsummer, a Boeing official said.

The article reports that FAA's acceptance of passive radio frequency identity tags that are safe to use in flight on aircraft parts and assemblies is expected to help maintenance, repair and overhaul operations reduce costs, cycle times and defect rates. Airbus Industrie SA and Boeing Co. cooperated because they share suppliers for 70% of the parts on their aircraft and have a common interest in improving the accuracy and efficiency of parts identification. Both manufacturers expect to promote the technology using ISO 18000-6 standards.

The article informs that in what it called "a strong year" that reflected improved conditions among the world's airlines, Boeing Co. saw its sales list make a 14% gain to 272 orders in 2004, while it delivered 285 aircraft. Last year ended with a $ 655-million order (at list prices) for 10 737-800s from European tour specialist Hapag-Lloyd of Hannover Langenhagen, Germany. Sebastian Ebel, a member of Hapag-Lloyd's parent company, the TUI Travel Group, said the purchase will allow the carrier to standardize on the 737-800 and replace its Airbus A310s.

This article presents information on developments in the airlines industry. Scott Carson, top salesman at Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA), will face a continuing challenge on how to make money, selling aircraft against an aggressive, marketshare-dominated competitor. BCA's vice president for sales, was its chief financial officer before being tapped four years ago to head Connexion by Boeing, an inflight broadband service. Though not a profitable business unit yet, Connexion has established itself with 160 corporate customers, is in use with four international airlines and has agreements with four others.